NEW Lab Scenarios

I recent have been leading another set of students through the ICND1 & 2, and created a series of labs designed to reinforce the learning concepts in the course. These have been created in Packet Tracer, which is intended for students in the Cisco Networking Academy program, though they can be easily created in other simulators and on actual equipment. I am posting the lab guides for your use, I am unable to post the configuration files. If you have any questions, let me know.

17 Responses to “NEW Lab Scenarios”

I have found the “ICND1 Course Labs – Switch Configuration” lab to be very helpful in my pursuit of the CCNA. However, there is one thing missing in the detailed instructions that I am wonder, as a beginner, if you meant to leave it out or if you did not. In STEP 4 after you perform the “banner motd #Welcome to the ICND1 Lab!”” command, the CLI demands that you complete the command by inputting the # character and pressing enter. This is not included in your guide compelling me to create this post in order to better understand your teachings. Thank you for your time.

Yes indeed, first, get great training material that will help you master the concepts. This can be a class, online course, video, or workbook/book, but select what will help you learn. Second—and you are doing this—get practical, hands-on time, using a good simulator or actual equipment. I like Packet Tracer, but have an inherent bias for equipment. Third, get on discussion boards where they discuss the exam topics and participate. Collaboration really helps cement the learning process. Finally, stay committed and don’t quit. I had to take the CCIE lab FIVE times before passing, which gives you a clear idea of what I am talking about. Feel free to shoot me a note whenever you have questions.

J,
Interesting spanning-tree lab, but I think you missed the mark from a design perspective. You have tiered the switches, as if you are using an access layer, distribution layer, and a core layer. Spanning tree, would normally only be run between the distribution, and access layers, and not extend into the core. The distribution layer is where we would expect to be running our routing protocols, and as such, it would terminate our vlans, and we would have the routing engine forwarding up into the core. You could certainly use etherchannel between the distribution and core layers, but it would typically be a L3 interface type and not a L2 port-channel with spanning-tree. Typically the inter-links between the two distribution L3 switches would also be routed interfaces, and not L2 trunks running spanning-tree. We have to be very careful as instructors to use examples that work in the real world. As a senior instructor once told me, don’t try to get too cleaver with your examples, you only over complicate things. You only need two layers, and the two redundant switches at the distribution layer, should be the root primaries and secondaries. The courseware does a good job of demonstrating the proper setup for load balancing vlans with STP. I would recommend you review this, and possibly do some further reading on Cisco design.

HiI’m brand new to your site and am studying for the CCNA. I only have a few days left of the class labs and I will be on my own so I am really glad to have been shown your site. Can you tell me where I would get the configuration files for your labs above?
Thanks

A question, we all know that by taking one professional
Level exam all your subsequent exams remain valid for 3 more years.. However will this also renew the students specializations or is there an additional step? The Cisco site is not real clear on the relationship between the two types of knowledge levels / certs and specializations together come renewal